Success can only be sustained by having the right habits. Many people get it wrong and allow their riches to consume them. However, if you want to not only get rich, but also sustain it, you have to discipline yourself and commit yourself to successful habits. Even when you possess other factors like motivation, creativity, and persistence, it won’t be enough if you do not have the successful habits many other rich people have.

Here are 9 success habits of the rich that can be accomplished daily by you.

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1. They read

I can’t emphasize how important reading is to your success. It keeps you mentally healthy and inquisitive. The brain needs action. While many will prefer to dull the mind by watching TV, playing video games, and engaging in meaningless chit-chatter, successful people make every second count. They spend their time improving their IQ by reading. As they say, “Leaders are readers.”

2. They are early risers

From Tim Cook, to Marissa Mayer, every successful person out there is an early riser. They know the importance of taking full advantage of their minds and energy as early as possible. Starting their days earlier than everyone else puts them on advantage in time and energy.

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3. They set goals

They consistently work towards their primary goals. They prioritize their ambitions and pursue activities that will direct them towards a major goal. Whether it is business or leisure, they are disciplined enough to religiously pursue what they think will make them better people in the society.

4. They track their progress

It is not just about where they are going, it is also about where they are coming from. If they are pursuing a goal, there will be no attempt in attaining this goal if they cannot measure their progress and know where and how far they have come. Tracking their progress keeps them in tune and fired up with meeting their desires.

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5. They maintain healthy relationships

Successful people are very selective with who they associate with. They know the importance of associating with other success driven and goal-oriented people. They don’t just simply establish these relationships, they also make sure to nurture and invest their time and energy in it. As such relationships grow, they become more successful. Successful people understand that relationships are the currency of the wealthy. They understand that nurtured relationships give a helpful companion, a respected sounding board, and relevant advice.

6. They are good money managers

Successful people have the habit of being good money managers. They spend less than they earn. Rather than spending their money recklessly, they instead save 20 percent of their net income and consider this for future investment. They understand the importance of living below their means and having a financial plan.

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7. They network

They don’t get stuck in a particular spot. They reach out to gain relationships. They network and meet with other people who could be potential clients, colleagues, or investors. They understand the importance of being with others to receive feedback and gain knowledge or experience.

8. They maintain a healthy lifestyle

It is not simply about being successful externally, they also want to be successful internally. Successful people understand that their body is a vehicle for their success. They do well to keep it right by exercising, getting decent sleep, and eating healthy food that will help build their bodies. They wouldn’t let their work get the best out of them, especially enough to break down their health or their relationships.

9. They are organized

Rich people are organized. They have a habit or prioritizing and scheduling their daily activities. They don’t jump into every opportunity that comes their way. Instead, they only do things that would steer them towards their priorities. They understand their limitations. Staying in tune means that they focus their energy and resources on beneficial choices.

Why To-Do Lists Don’t Work (And How to Change That)

How often do you feel overwhelmed and disorganized in life, whether at work or home? We all seem to struggle with time management in some area of our life; one of the most common phrases besides “I love you” is “I don’t have time”. Everyone suggests working from a to-do list to start getting your life more organized, but why do these lists also have a negative connotation to them?

Let’s say you have a strong desire to turn this situation around with all your good intentions—you may then take out a piece of paper and pen to start tackling this intangible mess with a to-do list. What usually happens, is that you either get so overwhelmed seeing everything on your list, which leaves you feeling worse than you did before, or you make the list but are completely stuck on how to execute it effectively.

To-do lists can work for you, but if you are not using them effectively, they can actually leave you feeling more disillusioned and stressed than you did before. Think of a filing system: the concept is good, but if you merely file papers away with no structure or system, the filing system will have an adverse effect. It’s the same with to-do lists—you can put one together, but if you don’t do it right, it is a fruitless exercise.

Why Some People Find That General To-Do Lists Don’t Work?

Most people find that general to-do lists don’t work because:

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They get so overwhelmed just by looking at all the things they need to do.

They don’t know how to prioritize the items on list.

They feel that they are continuously adding to their list but not reducing it.

There’s a sense of confusion seeing home tasks mixed with work tasks.

Benefits of Using a To-Do List

However, there are many advantages working from a to-do list:

You have clarity on what you need to get done.

You will feel less stressed because all your ‘to do’s are on paper and out of your mind.

It helps you to prioritize your actions.

You don’t overlook so many tasks and forget anything.

You feel more organized.

It helps you with planning.

4 Golden Rules to Make a To-Do List Work

Here are my golden rules for making a “to-do” list work:

1. Categorize

Studies have shown that your brain gets overwhelmed when it sees a list of 7 or 8 options; it wants to shut down.[1] For this reason, you need to work from different lists. Separate them into different categories and don’t have more than 7 or 8 tasks on each one.

It might work well for you to have a “project” list, a “follow-up” list, and a “don’t forget” list; you will know what will work best for you, as these titles will be different for everybody.

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2. Add Estimations

You don’t merely need to know what has to be done, but how long it will take as well in order to plan effectively.

Imagine on your list you have one task that will take 30 minutes, another that could take 1 hour, and another that could take 4 hours. You need to know the moment you look at the task, otherwise you undermine your planning, so add an extra column to your list and include your estimation of how long you think the task will take, and be realistic!

Tip: If you find it a challenge to estimate accurately, then start by building this skill on a daily basis. Estimate how long it will take to get ready, cook dinner, go for a walk, etc., and then compare this to the actual time it took you. You will start to get more accurate in your estimations.

3. Prioritize

To effectively select what you should work on, you need to take into consideration: priority, sequence and estimated time. Add another column to your list for priority. Divide your tasks into four categories:

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Important and urgent

Not urgent but important

Not important but urgent

Not important or urgent

You want to work on tasks that are urgent and important of course, but also, select some tasks that are important and not urgent. Why? Because these tasks are normally related to long-term goals, and when you only work on tasks that are urgent and important, you’ll feel like your day is spent putting out fires. You’ll end up neglecting other important areas which most often end up having negative consequences.

Most of your time should be spent on the first two categories.

4. Review

To make this list work effectively for you, it needs to become a daily tool that you use to manage your time and you review it regularly. There is no point in only having the list to record everything that you need to do, but you don’t utilize it as part of your bigger time management plan.

For example: At the end of every week, review the list and use it to plan the week ahead. Select what you want to work on taking into consideration priority, time and sequence and then schedule these items into your calendar. Golden rule in planning: don’t schedule more than 75% of your time.

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Bottom Line

So grab a pen and paper and give yourself the gift of a calm and clear mind by unloading everything in there and onto a list as now, you have all the tools you need for it to work. Knowledge is useless unless it is applied—how badly do you want more time?